OCS Can you be accepted to OCS if you are a Civilian Employee in a Military Branch?

[cab0914]

I am currently a civilian employee with the Air Force and I want to get selected for Navy OCS. While I got a bonus for the civilian job, I am not sure if getting selected for OCS would legally allow me to leave the Air Force or what would happen after. I am uploading a copy of the agreement I signed if anyone wants to read the fine details. Has anyone ever heard of or been in this situation before?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Well a friend of mine was accepted to OCS as a civilian employee, at a quick glance it looks like the worst that could happen is you pay back your relocation money.

 

[zippy]

I've instructed DoD civilians turned active duty in the military in the VTs. You have the ability to go on military leave from your job for upto 5 years. The students I know had to jump through a couple of admin hoops yearly but it was relatively minor to keep their employment status with the dod as a civilian.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniformed_Services_Employment_and_Reemployment_Rights_Act

Military leave may count towards your 2 year requirement to stay in the job. You'll have to talk to HR if you get accepted to OCS. They can't stop you so worse case you repay the $$$. Best case you don't.

 

[Flash]

I've instructed DoD civilians turned active duty in the military in the VTs. You have the ability to go on military leave from your job for upto 5 years. The students I know had to jump through a couple of admin hoops yearly but it was relatively minor to keep their employment status with the dod as a civilian.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniformed_Services_Employment_and_Reemployment_Rights_Act

Military leave may count towards your 2 year requirement to stay in the job. You'll have to talk to HR if you get accepted to OCS. They can't stop you so worse case you repay the $$$. Best case you don't.

I am not sure what you are getting at, since the commitment for all aviators in the Navy and Marines is over 5 years I am not sure how a former government civilian employee could keep their civilian job status beyond 5 years even if it is in a non-pay status. Is it in the realm of possibility? Sure, but I don't know of a precedent for it. The law you cite is for reservists and not active duty, don't think it is applicable in this case.

For the OP there is nothing preventing a civilian employee from joining the military, I would check with your personnel office to see what affect joining would have on your bonus.

 

[Griz882]

I need a little more information to have a complete answer. As a fed myself I can say that bonus payments are for past performance, not future expectations - so you should get to keep your bonus. If, however, you were offered re-location pay you will have to pay that back if you have fewer than anywhere between 12 and 36 months on the job. In short, read your hiring documents carefully. Also, if you are talking about a "retention incentive" you need to read See 5 CFR 575.310. If you are getting monthly payments and you leave...all is fair. If you got a lump payment...you will owe your darling Uncle Sam some cash.

You can read the rules and FAQs here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-ove...centives-likely-to-leave-the-federal-service/

Beyond that, there is absolutely no rule or law barring you from leaving federal service for the military.

 

[zippy]

I am not sure what you are getting at, since the commitment for all aviators in the Navy and Marines is over 5 years I am not sure how a former government civilian employee could keep their civilian job status beyond 5 years even if it is in a non-pay status. Is it in the realm of possibility? Sure, but I don't know of a precedent for it. The law you cite is for reservists and not active duty, don't think it is applicable in this case.

For the OP there is nothing preventing a civilian employee from joining the military, I would check with your personnel office to see what affect joining would have on your bonus.

I'm getting at that he can go on military leave for upto 5 years...I never said anything about keeping the job for more than 5 years.

Commitments for non-aviators is less than 5 years.

Flight school takes less than 5 years.

If an aviator doesn't make it through wings they don't receive an additional commitment.

One individual I'm referring to dropped military leave in order to attend OCS and flight school. They stayed on the books at their DoD entity until after they got winged and made it to the fleet (~3 years after they left their agency) and decided they didn't need the safety net of return rights for their old job is something didn't go as planned.

In the OPs case military leave time may count towards the longevity requirement for his relocation commitment since military leave time does count for caereer longevity overall... He'd have to talk to his HR department if selected for OCS to determine what the options are at the time point he's scheduled to go.

 

[Flash]

...One individual I'm referring to dropped military leave in order to attend OCS and flight school. They stayed on the books at their DoD entity until after they got winged and made it to the fleet (~3 years after they left their agency) and decided they didn't need the safety net of return rights for their old job is something didn't go as planned...

Okay, it wasn't clear and I wanted just wanted to make sure.

 

[Griz882]

If the OP has been employed for more than three years as a Career or Career Conditional employee he will always have Reinstatement Eligibility meaning he can apply for jobs that require the applicant to be a federal employee or a veteran.

 

[cab0914]

I need a little more information to have a complete answer. As a fed myself I can say that bonus payments are for past performance, not future expectations - so you should get to keep your bonus. If, however, you were offered re-location pay you will have to pay that back if you have fewer than anywhere between 12 and 36 months on the job. In short, read your hiring documents carefully. Also, if you are talking about a "retention incentive" you need to read See 5 CFR 575.310. If you are getting monthly payments and you leave...all is fair. If you got a lump payment...you will owe your darling Uncle Sam some cash.

You can read the rules and FAQs here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-ove...centives-likely-to-leave-the-federal-service/

Beyond that, there is absolutely no rule or law barring you from leaving federal service for the military.

Thanks for the responses! To be clear, I started on June 13th of this year, and the board I want to apply to will meet on December 5th, and I should know if I was selected by the middle of December. I am applying for a slot in the Cryptologic Warfare Officer and Information Professional Communities. At first I thought I couldn't apply because I know most active duty contracts require you to serve for at least 4 years active and 4 years inactive and I didn't know if the same rules applied to civilian employees. The Naval Officer Recruiter contacted me and told me that most contracts let you leave for Military Service. I already went through the whole process and had my package submitted. It is a relocation bonus, but I have no problem with repaying the bonus as I am financially smart and try to save as much money as I can. If I am not selected, I will stay and continue to work out and boost my qualifications.

If anyone is wondering why I became a civilian employee in the first place, it was my backup plan in case I was not selected for OCS, and I thought I had to wait for two years before I could apply for active duty military service. When I told the NOR about my situation, he believed this job could make me a much more competitive candidate, as I was unemployed for several months before starting federal service. It will also give me time to keep in shape and stay busy while I wait for the board's decision.

 

[Hair Warrior]

Civilians can quit their jobs at any time. Your biggest hurdle will be getting selected to OCS. As others mentioned, you may have to pay back the money.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Thanks for the responses! To be clear, I started on June 13th of this year, and the board I want to apply to will meet on December 5th, and I should know if I was selected by the middle of December. I am applying for a slot in the Cryptologic Warfare Officer and Information Professional Communities. At first I thought I couldn't apply because I know most active duty contracts require you to serve for at least 4 years active and 4 years inactive and I didn't know if the same rules applied to civilian employees. The Naval Officer Recruiter contacted me and told me that most contracts let you leave for Military Service. I already went through the whole process and had my package submitted. It is a relocation bonus, but I have no problem with repaying the bonus as I am financially smart and try to save as much money as I can. If I am not selected, I will stay and continue to work out and boost my qualifications.

If anyone is wondering why I became a civilian employee in the first place, it was my backup plan in case I was not selected for OCS, and I thought I had to wait for two years before I could apply for active duty military service. When I told the NOR about my situation, he believed this job could make me a much more competitive candidate, as I was unemployed for several months before starting federal service. It will also give me time to keep in shape and stay busy while I wait for the board's decision.

Your biggest hurdle will be getting to OCS like HW said, the IWC looks for very high GPA so unless you are 3.5 or above your chances aren't great.

 

[cab0914]

Your biggest hurdle will be getting to OCS like HW said, the IWC looks for very high GPA so unless you are 3.5 or above your chances aren't great.

Update 12/22/2016

I was selected for Cryptologic Warfare Officer and the surprising thing was my undergraduate GPA was a 3.1. While that is not the most competitive GPA, I also had volunteer experience and was a leader of several clubs in college, and my current civilian government job with my security clearance seemed to help me.